Ghosts
by IrishAnnie71
Summary: Part 8 of The Fair Maiden Series. Liz is faced with dealing with ghosts from her past when she and Cade investigate a crystal mine in a small town.


Ghosts

Author Notes

I recently found a few of my old First Wave fan fic so I have decided to edit them and post them here. I will also be editing the ones that are already posted here.

Summary;- Part of The Fair Maiden Series. Liz is faced with dealing with ghosts from her past when she and Cade investigate a crystal mine in the small town where Liz lived when she was younger.

Disclaimer:- First Wave title and characters are the property of First Wave Productions and Pearson TV. Cade Foster, Crazy Eddie, the Gua. The Apostles and other references to the television show are the property of Chris Brancato, Larry Sugar and Francis Ford Coppola. Elizabeth Baker and other characters as well as the plot belong to me and will not be used without my permission. (- March 2001 - edited July 2019)

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_"Quatrain 34, Century 11_

_On the lagoon by the timber copse, The crown of light is revealed, The heiress confronts times past, To release the community from the enemy"_

_The discovery of rare crystals last week brings me to the town of Lakeforest in Wisconsin. I have seen these crystals before, in Montana where I encountered a motorcycle gang who claimed to be my apostles. Crystal fever has broken and I'm going to investigate the find. Lakeforest is also the town where Elizabeth Baker's uncle's funeral is taking place. Is there a connection with the quatrain or just a coincidence? It's time to find out.a_

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"As we commit our brother Donald to the ground..." the minister's voice droned on as the sun peaked through a break in the clouds. A light breeze rippled through the cemetery as a large crowd stood around the grave site. An elderly woman sat on a chair periodically wiping tears from her eyes. She was comforted by another woman beside her. She glanced up and saw Elizabeth standing apart from the crowd. They made eye contact and she beckoned the young woman to come over to her but Liz re she was.

Cade Foster stood at the cemetery gate and look around to see if he could see Liz. He saw her standing a bit away from the main group at the graveside. Before the service was over she turned and walked towards the gate with her head lowered. She looked up when she saw him by the gate.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in surprise.

"Eddie linked up a quatrain with the crystal find," replied Cade.

"You think there are aliens here?"

"Maybe."

"That doesn't surprise me," Liz said taking off her sunglasses and looking around her.

"I was sorry to hear about your uncle." Cade said putting his hand on her arm but she didn't reply.

"Elizabeth?" They both turned when they heard a voice call out her name.

"Aunt Maggie," Liz replied looking at the elderly white haired woman standing in front of her.

"Liz, I am happy that you could make it to Don's funeral."

"I just wanted to make sure it was true," Liz said.

"He loved you very much," replied her aunt.

"He had a funny way of showing it. "

"Would you and your friend like to come back to the house?" Maggie asked looking at Cade. "I'm sorry we haven't been introduced."

"This is ..." Liz started to say not sure what Cade's alias was.

" Jack Read, I am doing a feature on the crystal find," replied Cade.

"I have to get back to Cincinnati. It's a long drive," Liz said in reply to her aunt's question.

"Please Elizabeth it would mean a lot to me," pleaded Maggie.

Liz sighed and looked at Cade. "Ok".

"I'll see you there," Her aunt said walking towards the funeral car.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Liz asked as they drove to the house.

"Well it will give me a chance to get a handle on the investigation," replied Cade getting out of the car. "Your aunt seems very nice. "

Liz didn't reply as she opened the gate. She took a deep breath as she looked up at small white clapboard house. She noticed the garden was still immaculately kept with wild flowers growing along the footpath. Passing by the garden bench her heart beat quicker as a memory came back to her.

-Flashback-

_"Mommy, I don't want to stay here,"_

_"Betsy, please. I am not very well and Daddy is very busy. Aunt Maggie and Uncle Don said you can stay with them."_

_"I don't want to," cried the little girl._

_"Sweetheart, it will only be for a little while until I get out of the hospital,"_

_"I want to live with you and Daddy,"_

_"Elizabeth..."_

"Liz?" She jumped at Cade's voice bringing her out of her memories.

"What?"

"Are you ok?" asked Cade.

"Yeah, come on, let's go in before I change my mind."

She stood at the fireplace and gazed at the framed photographs on the mantle. She picked up on of one of a beautiful woman laughing into the camera. She gently ran her finger over the glass.

"You are so like her now," said Maggie coming over to stand beside her.

"She was very beautiful, " with a sad smile.

"She was," agreed Maggie. "I'm glad you decide to come here. I know it must have been hard. I hope you stay till the will is read. She placed her hand on Liz's shoulder.

"Excuse me, I'm Harold Green from the Lakeforest Property Bureau." A man in his 40's with prematurely greying hair interrupted them.

"I'm sorry Mr. Green. As I told your associate before I am not willing to sell my property," Maggie said to the man. "Now I am asking you to leave. This is my husband's funeral. Please have some respect."

"Mrs Roper, I know this may seem like a bad time but before your husband died he agreed to sell up."

"Mr Green I am asking you to leave," repeated Maggie in a raised voice.

"Like it or not your husband has agreed to sell the house to us. The deeds have been written up. I am officially giving you notice of a week to vacate the property," Green said.

Cade stood by the door as he observed everything going on the room. When he heard the raIsed voices he went over and grabbed the man by his arm. "Listen, Pal. Can't you see that this is not a good time. I think it is time you left.

The real estate agent pulled a bundle of papers that he had taken out of his briefcase. "Mrs Roper, these deeds are legally binding. "

Maggie wrung her hands together as she sat at the kitchen table after everyone had left. She leafed through the pile of papers that the real estate agent had left with her. Cade went outside to call Eddie and send him the most pertinent documents. "I can't believe Don would do this without telling me! "

"Maybe selling up would be a good idea," said Liz.

Maggie tearfully looked at her niece. "Liz I've lived in this house for 45 years. This is my home. I am not going to give it up!

Liz

Liz took a deep breath as she shook her head and tutted. She walked over to the kitchen press and reached in for a glass. It slipped from her hand falling with a resounding crash onto the tiled floor breaking it into tiny pieces.

-Flashback -

"You _stupid girl. That glass was a wedding present. You are so clumsy. You stupid girl." _

_"I'm sorry Uncle Don," _

_"Sorry isn't good enough, " he yelled as he raised his hand to the cowering girl_

"Dammit! " exclaimed Liz as bent down to pick up the broken glass. A shard of glass stuck in the side of her hand and it began to bleed profusely. She ran it under the cold faucet as her aunt got the first aid kit

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drop it," exclaimed Liz.

"Liz it's alright," replied Maggie tending to the wound. "I don't think you are going to need stitches. You are lucky. "

"I broke the other one years ago," Liz said quietly.

"I know," replied Maggie lightly stroking her niece's curly hair.

A sob caught in Liz's throat at the light touch of her aunt. "Would you excuse me? "  
Pull

Opening the back door she bumped into Cade who had finished his phone call to Eddie.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked seeing her flee out the back .

Maggie sighed as she sat back down at the table. "Elizabeth and my husband had an uneasy relationship. They never seemed to get on."

"Liz told me she lived here while her mother was sick," Cade said.

"She lived here for 18 months. Liz was 13 when we found out Mary had cancer. With Max being so busy and Mary in and out of hospital the best thing for all was for Liz to live here. Mary sat at this very table one summer and asked me to look after her."

-Flashback-

"Maggie_, I don't know how much time I have left," Mary said sitting down at the table as her sister in law poured out a pot of tea. _

_"Mary, you have all the time in the world," replied Maggie taking her hand.  
"No _

_" I don't. I want you to look after Liz for me. Make sure she grows up properly. " "You_

_"You are not going to die, Mary." _

_"The treatment is not working, I want you to make sure she is happy. " _

_" It's _hard to believe but the following summer Mary died," Maggie said quietly.

"How old was Liz?" asked Cade.

"Almost 16. She moved back home before her mother died."

Liz walked as far as the lake behind the house. She came across the swing that had been on the property for years. She leaned against the bar as she grabbed the seat towards her. She pushed it back and then grabbed it again when it swung back. She sat on the seat and slowly pushed herself on it.

\- Flashback -

"_Elizabeth, I have to go now. "_

_"Mom, I don't want you to go. Please stay. "_

_"Honey, It's just for a couple of months till I feel better. I'll always love you. Remember that." _

She felt the tears pricking her eyes and she sniffed as she wiped them away with her hand.

"Liz!" called Cade when he saw her sitting on the swing.

She jumped at the sound of his voice and lowered her head in an attempt to wipe her blue eyes before he could see her.

"Are you all right?" he asked with a note of concern in his voice.

"I'm fine. Cat allergy is at me," she sniffed.

Cade nodded. "Nice place here." He glanced at her as she remained seated on the swing."I'm here if you need to talk."

"Did you find out why the Gua are here?" she asked changing the subject.

"Eddie is having some of the crystals analysed to see why the Gua would be interested in them," replied Cade realising that she wasn't listening to him.

"I'm sorry what did you say?" she asked distractedly.

"Never mind. I am going to the trailer to see if Eddie is doing what he is supposed to doing. Are you coming?"

"No. I have something to do," replied Liz getting up off the swing. "I'll call you later."

"Ok, " he smiled as he watched her walk off.

Eddie had parked the trailer in a layby near the highway. He was scanning his computer and looked up when the door opened as Cade entered the trailer. "Did you find anything out?"

"Not really. Only that estate agent I told you about. Says Liz's uncle agreed to sell the house before he died. Her aunt says she didn't know anything about it."

"Did you see Liz?" asked Eddie.

"Yea, there's something going on with her." Cade took off his black leather jacket and pulled out a drawer which held his lock picking tools and gun.

"What do you mean?" asked Eddie.  
"She

"She seems distracted. Doesn't seem to care that her uncle died but she was crying. When I spoke to her aunt she said that she and her uncle never got on."

"Maybe she it's hard for her. Her mom's death, the past," replied Eddie.

"Wait a minute. The last two lines in the quatrain, "The heiress confronts times past", maybe Liz is the heiress and confronting her past will "release the community from the enemy," Cade said.

"Liz is The Heiress? Makes a change from being The Fair Maiden," replied Eddie.

"The will is going to be read tomorrow. Maybe he left her something. Did you find anything out about that estate agent?

"Yeah!" replied Eddie turning his attention back to the computer screen. "Get this, There is no record of Lakeforest Property Bureau up until about 6 months ago. They have bought at least 15 properties in the town _and_ they also have the mining license for the mine."

"They are buying up the property in the town," Cade said.

"What for?" asked Eddie.

"Aren't the crystals used in the Gua's computer and satellite software?" asked Cade.

"Yeah, Maybe the Gua are planning on buying into the town to set up some sort of communication's base," replied Eddie swivelling around in his chair.

"Could be. I'm going to pay our friendly real estate agent a call and see what he has to say," Cade said picking up his jacket and gun. "Call me if you come up with anything else. "

Eddie nodded as Cade went out the door..He turned back to his computer screen and did some more research.

"Mr

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"Mr Green, I would appreciate it if you answer my question," Cade said to the property developer who had so far refused to answer the questions put to him.

"I'm a business man. When opportunities for buying property arises I take it. Now will you excuse me?" Green said as he tried to shut the door to his office but Cade stopped him form doing it.  
"So

"What can you tell me?" asked Cade.

"I'm a very busy man. I don't have the answers for you," he replied.

"Can you tell me who does have the answers?" asked Cade in irritation. He stared intensely at the other man. "Who are you working for? Are you working for the Gua?"

"I regret to say that..." Green said walking over to his desk to pick up the phone. "...If you are not out of here in 5 minutes I will be calling the cops."

"It's a pity we could not deal with this situation amicably," replied Cade not wanting to run the risk of having to run into the cops. He took quick look around the office and memorised where everything was so if he needed to break into the office later he could. He walked out of the room.

Liz

/\\\\\

Waves lapped gently by the shore of the lake as Liz sat on a bench watching people walk, run, sunbathe on the grass. Children played by the water as their parents looked on. Life went on it seemed even if there was a secret war going on against an alien invasion.

"Liz?

She turned her head to see a guy with short brown hair and stubble sitting on a bike beside her. She smiled when she recognized him.

"Ben?"

"I thought it was you! " he grinned as he got off his bike and left it beside a tree.

"Oh my are still here! " she exclaimed.

"Never left! I teach at our old high school now, " smiled Ben as they both sat back down on the bench. "I heard you are a hot shot reporter now. "

Liz let out a short laugh. "That's me!'

"So you came back for the old man's funeral. I didn't think you would! "

"I probably shouldn't have. It only brings back painful memories," she replied lowering her head to look at the ground.

"Hey do you remember when we went hiking in the forest that time? " Ben said suddenly.

"Yes, " she replied with a giggle. "We ended up camping under the stars while the mountain rescue where sent out to find us! I was never so happy to see civilization again. "

"My parents grounded me for a month! How old where we? "

"15," she smiled.

"So are you married with a ton of kids?" Ben asked.

Liz laughed. " No. I'm seeing someone though. Nick. He's a photographer at the paper. "

"He's a lucky man," Ben said . "So sign of wedding bells then?"

"I don't think we're at that stage yet! What about you?"

" Married, 2.5 kids, house in the burbs, " replied Ben with a smile.

"That's terrific Ben! I'm happy for you," she smiled back at him.

"How long are you here for? I'd love for you to meet Cathy and the kids!"

"Um...I don't know yet. Maybe tomorrow morning. It's a long drive back," replied Liz.

"Ok. If you decide to stay longer you can find me in the school. Maggie has my number too. Good to see you Liz. " Ben placed his helmet back on his head and sat back on his bike.

"Good to see you too." She watched as he took off on his bike around the edge of the lake.

/\\\\\

Liz drove to Eddie's trailer. He opened the door when she knocked on it.

"Eliza Jane. Come in. Come in." he said giving her a big smile.

She sat down on the red leather couch while Eddie busied himself making them both coffee. "Ernest Hemingway said caffeine puts a man on her horse and a woman in his grave. I always thought he was a pretentious asshole." He glanced over at her but she didn't seem to be listening. "But what do I know?"

He handed her the hot steaming mug of coffee and sat back in his chair. "Are you ok? "

"Yes. I'm fine. Why?" asked Liz a little bit defensively.  
"No

"I just thought that coming back to your hometown would be causing you some...pain. "

"This is not my hometown, Eddie. Far from it. I never felt it was like home. I just lived here when my mother was sick. " She almost spat the words out.

"Ok," replied Eddie drinking his coffee.

"Did you find anything out about what was going on here?"

"We think the Gua are buying up the property in the town to set up a communication's base," replied Eddie.

"How many properties have been sold?"

"At least 15," replied Eddie showing her the computer screen.

"Where's Cade?" asked Liz.  
"He

"Went to see Green but he wouldn't tell him anything so he is up to his old B'n'E tricks to see what he can find," replied Eddie. She seemed to have forgotten about her coffee. He got up and sat down on the couch beside her.

"We're both here if you need to talk," he said putting his arm around her.

"Thanks Eddie," replied Liz putting her head on his shoulder.

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Cade broke into the real estate office. He went through the filing cabinet to see what he could find. He came across the deeds to all the property that had been sold in the town. He took the files out of the office and went back to trailer. The three looked through the files and could not believe what they were reading. All the property in the town was sold for less than the market value. Green and his associates told their clients that the area was not safe because of the crystal mines. A false survey report was also in the files.

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The following day Liz sat in the lawyer's office with her aunt to hear the will being read. She didn't want to be there but Maggie asked her to come for support. Before they left the house Liz had told her what they had discovered but she refused to believe that her husband had been conned into selling the property. Liz didn't tell her about the Gua being involved. The lawyer, who was an old family friend, walked into the room.

"Maggie. Thank you for coming. Elizabeth you look wonderful," Stanley Garner said shaking Liz's hand.g

"Stan, before the will is read. Can I just ask you about the property that is being sold for less than the market value? Can you tell us what is going on?" Liz asked.

"Elizabeth seems to think there is a conspiracy going on," sighed Maggie.

"I don't really know the full story but I was told that the crystal mines were unsafe and were emitting dangerous gases," he replied.

"That's a lie. They are buying up the property in the town so no one will know what is really going on," replied Liz taking the documents out of her briefcase and showing them to the lawyer. He took the documents from her and looked through

"Where did you get these?" he asked.  
"It

"It doesn't matter where I got them. What matters is what really is going on here. What they plan to do," replied Liz.

"Who do mean by "they"?" asked Maggie.

"Aliens," she replied. "They're planning to invade us. We believe they want to use the town as a communication's base during and after the invasion." She ignored the look her aunt was giving her.  
"You

"You certainly have an overactive imagination, dear," replied Maggie.

"Don't talk to me like I am a never believed anything I ever told you." Liz started to get up from her chair.

. "I don't know what you are talking about," replied Maggie defensively as she looked at her niece.

"Yes you do. You never believed me. When I told you about Uncle Don hitting me! You told me not to making up stories. HE told me I would be put into care if I told my parents and I would have no one to take care of me," Liz said. Her blue eyes flashed with anger.

"Ladies. There is a time and place for this," the lawyer interjected.

"No Stanley. Let her have her say. She always resented the fact that Don and I were the only people who could look after her while her mother was ill," replied Maggie.

"I never resented that Maggie! The only thing I resented was HIM hitting me whenever he got the opportunity, putting me down at every opportunity. Look at you, Maggie. He's dead and he still has a hold on you," replied Liz standing up as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Of course he has hold on me. We were married for 50 years.I loved him and I will never be able to get him back," Maggie said sadly. "You were like a daughter to me and I'm sorry for what happened. "

Liz let out a deep breath and shook her head. "I'm sorry Maggie but I can't go through all this again. I can't forget the past. "

Liz stood in the center of the room for a moment before she turned around and walked out the door.

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She drove back to the trailer but didn't go in. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes but this time she sobbed as she sat in the car.

Cade and Eddie heard the car pull up. Eddie looked out the window of the airstream and saw that she was still sitting in the car. "What is she doing out there?

"I don't know. Maybe we should leave her alone," Cade said.

"Foster but it's Liz. She's our friend," replied Eddie.

Cade sighed. "Ok."

He eased himself up off the couch and went out to the car. He sat in the passenger side as Liz looked at him with tear filled eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"It's too hard, Cade," Liz said.

"What is? "

"Coming back here was a mistake. I'm just opening old wounds, old resentments," replied Liz blowing her nose with a Kleenex.

"Maybe it was something you had to do," replied Cade.

She sat silently in the car as she stared out the window. "When I was 5 I hated my curls. They got tangled up so badly and I used to scream when my mom would go near with a brush. Then one day she told me that the fairies cast a spell on me to give me curly hair and they'd be unhappy to see me behaving the way I did. I believed her you know. I never screamed after that. "

"She sounded like an amazing mom, " smiled Cade.

"She was. I miss her. "

"She would have been proud of the woman you became," Cade said giving her arm a light squeeze. She smiled as she put her hand on his.

/\\\\\

Stanley Garner paced his office after Maggie left. The shrill ring of his cellphone sounded out and he answered it. "Hello?"

"It's Green. Someone has found out about the property deals. Some files are missing." Harold Green said over the phone to him.

"Elizabeth Baker, Maggie Roper's niece. She's also a journalist," replied Garner.

"No. A man by the name of Jack Read was here. Says he is a journalist as well. He may be the same person who broke in and took the files," Green said.

"Green, if the assembly finds out that this operation has been discovered there will be trouble," Garner said.

"I know. We will deal with them all, including Maggie Roper," Green said hanging up the phone.

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Cade and Liz were in the trailer when Maggie drove up to it. She knocked hesitantly on the door. Eddie opened it and let her in.

"I know you are angry with me. You have good reason to be and I know you can't forgive me but I wanted you to know that I am sorry for what happened," Maggie said. Cade indicated to to Eddie to leave the two alone to talk. He decided to go and confront Green over the property deals and Eddie went with him.

"We're going around in circles, Maggie. It's not getting us anywhere," replied Liz, "I didn't just resent you and Uncle Don. I hated Dad for sending me here, for putting me in a boarding school after I ran away from here. He was never there when I needed him. Not even when Mom died. Did you know we didn't speak for 6 years?"

"Yes," replied Maggie. "Your father always regretted that. But the reason why I came here now was to tell you that Don left you money in the will. $250,000 to be exact."

"Guilt money," replied Liz.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Maggie sighed as she opened the door of the trailer and looked around at her. "You are my only family now. "

Liz remained where she was standing as she watched her aunt leave the trailer.

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Cade and Eddie drove up to Green's office.

"I wonder how they are getting on," said Eddie.

"There's 15 years of bitterness for them to work on," replied Cade. He was about to get out of the caddy when he saw Green coming out of the office and get into his car.

"Follow him," he said to Eddie who drove the car at a cautious distance as they followed him to the crystal mine which was situated a few miles outside the town. They watched as Green went into the office. There was another car outside the office. Cade told Eddie to stay in the car and walked to the office. He looked in the window and could not believe his eyes when he saw Maggie and Garner there. Maggie looked very frightened. Coked around for something to create a diversion. He found a rock on the ground and threw it up on the tin roof. The three inside the room jumped at the sound of the noise and Green told Garner to check it out. When Garner opened the door Cade punched him in the face. Garner fell backwards but got his balance back and ran at Cade knocking the two of them down the steps. They both threw punches at each other. Garner was on top and he had Cade in a familiar chokehold when suddenly Garner fell backwards. Eddie had hit Garner on the head with a rock. Cade grabbed his gun and fired it at Garner who dissolved. Cade got up but Green came out of the office with his gun pointed out at Maggie's head.

"The old woman will die if you don't..." Garner said but he stopped suddenly and fell backwards. There was a bullet wound to his chest. He flashed alien and then dissolved. Maggie looked on in horror as she watched him dissolve. She then turned around and saw Liz standing behind the office with a gun in her hand.

"Liz," was all a shocked Maggie could say.

"I saw Garner and Maggie coming here so I decided to see what was going on. When I saw you with gun to your head..." Liz started to say to her Aunt. Cade and Eddie watched as the two embraced.

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"So what are you going to do with the money?" Eddie asked Liz after they finished up their meal that Maggie had cooked for them.

"I don't know. I was thinking about donating it to the cause," taking her plate and put it in the sink.

"That would be great," replied Cade looking at Eddie, "but we can't let you do that."

"Why?"asked Liz puzzled.

"The quatrain says so," replied Cade.

"Foster, the quatrain doesn't say that," stated Eddie.

"The quatrains are ambiguous, that last line could have several meanings," replied Cade.

"If you two are going to argue about the meaning of a quatrain all night, would you mind doing it elsewhere?" Liz said in exasperation, "If you don't want me to give the money to the cause then I will use it so that the everyone in the town can buy back their property."

"You can't do that," replied Maggie.

"Yes I can. I want to," replied Liz.

Cade looked at his watch. "It's time we hit the road."

"I was hoping to have some of that lovely apple pie that Maggie was telling us about," Eddie said.

"Eddie," Cade replied sternly indicating Maggie and Liz with his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Maggie but it's time for us to go," Cade said about to shake Maggie's hand but Maggie gave him a hug instead.

"Thanks for everything," she said.

Liz watched as her two friends prepared to leave. She had decided to stay in Lakeforest with her aunt for a few more days.

_Liz's entry to the journal_

_There comes a time in all our lives when we have to confront door ghosts from our past. In doing so it helps us understand the choices we make in our lives and how those choices influence us for the future. By being able to forgive we let go of the bitterness and resentments that have been with us and allows us to have a clearer vision for the future. We don't know what the future holds for us, invasion or otherwise._


End file.
